MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Sci-Fi Action/Stars: Danny Glover, Kevin Peter Hall, Gary Busey, Rubén Blades, María Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton, Lilyan Chauvin, Robert Davi, Adam Baldwin, Kent McCord, Steve Kahan, Henry Kingi, Morton Downey Jr., Calvin Lockhart, Sylvia Kauders, Billy “Sly” Williams, Jsu Garcia (Credited as Nick Corri), Michael Wiseman, Teri Weigel, Thomas Rosales Jr., Michael Papajohn, Casey Sander, Pat Skipper, Jim Ishida, Elpidia Carrillo/Runtime: 108 minutes
In the long-ago year of 1985, a pair of aspiring screenwriter brothers by the names of Jim and John Thomas heard a joke about how famed movie fighter Rocky Balboa would have no serious alternative, but to engage in a fight against an alien in his next cinematic outing due to having seemingly run out of opponents on Earth that could match him punch for punch. Yet besides getting the prerequisite chuckle out of it, the brothers decided to actually take the idea seriously and write a script around the idea. A script that, by the year 1987, had not only given 80s action star Arnold Schwarzenegger another jewel in his movie star crown, but also found itself transformed into a bonafide cinematic smash success story known simply as Predator. A slice of cinema that, despite close to 4 solid decades having come and gone, still manages to hold up incredibly well as a taut and thrillingly action-packed creature feature the likes of which Hollywood really had not seen up to that point in time. Of course, when your film manages to gross close to 100 million dollars on a budget of only 15-18 million, it should come as no surprise to learn that the powers that be (or studio heads as they are also often referred to) will more often than not see this as a “divine sign” that a sequel should be in order. Suffice it to say that in the case of Predator this was definitely the case as 20th Century Fox quickly reached out to the Super Thomas Brothers to pen for them a sequel. Yet, among the no less than 6 ideas that this dynamic duo pitched to the studio for a follow-up, there was one more than the others that the studio grew quite fond of. That being to take the Predator from the leafy jungles of South America and transfer him over to the iron and steel jungle of Los Angeles. It was from this initial seed of an idea that we as movie goers would eventually get in the not too long-ago year of 1990 the highly anticipated Predator 2. Unlike the original however, which over time has become recognized as a true staple of both 80s cinema to say nothing of its respective genre mash-up, that was not the fate that was in store for this one as not only did it get significantly more negative reviews than its predecessor, but it also *only* grossed 57.1 million dollars against an increased budget of 20-30 million dollars. In the opinion of this writer though dear reader I don’t really know if the negative reception garnered by this slice of cinema is really all that warranted. I say this because, while by no means perfect, this is still a pretty fun popcorn movie all things considered. Suffice it to say that it might be a step down from its predecessor, but with the aid of capable work on both sides of the camera Predator 2 is a flawed yet engaging cinematic hunt that is still worth embarking on.
The plot is as follows: Picking up a solid decade after the events of the first film, Predator 2 gets its thrilling narrative underway by taking us to the iconic locale of Los Angeles in the year 1997 (or 7 years in the future from when this film was released). A place that although most likely known by you or I for its sandy beaches, immense traffic disorder, high population, an In’n’Out Burger on every street corner, fashion stores that even one article of clothing inside might cost more than all of the repairs my friend has had done to his car, and for more palm trees than you can shake a Hawaiian lei at (oh and for being the main base of operations for a little thing called Hollywood), doesn’t seem like it got that particular memo in the universe of this film. Instead, this take on Los Angeles is known for being stuck in the middle of a vicious heat wave and for being the main battle ground for an ongoing turf war between 2 opposing yet highly armed Jamaican and Columbian drug cartels respectively. It is in regards to that turf war that we see a battle of which being played out between the gangs and members of that distinct group known as the LAPD who, when our story begins proper, are caught between that ol’ rock and hard place. Or at least they are until a particularly brave lieutenant named Michael “Mike” Harrigan arrives on the scene and comes up with a plan that enables the officers on scene to rescue two of their own who have been wounded and to push the Colombians back into their base of operations. Yet when an unknown entity (gee I wonder what it could be?) both infiltrates the Colombians base and systematically slaughters them all, we see Harrigan make the choice to go against his superior’s orders and enters the base for himself. Upon doing so however, we see that Harrigan (and by extension his team) are doing more than just going in to investigate yet another crime scene in this on-going war for control of the streets of Los Angeles. Rather, they (alongside a recently transferred officer to their unit named Jerry Lambert as well as an enigmatic yet fairly sleazy federal agent by the name of Peter Keyes) are walking head-on into a fraught with peril hunt that has been orchestrated by that infamous third party known simply as a Predator. Thus, with mankind once again being (as hunters like to say) in season, can our hero and his team find a way to put a stop to this alien menace or is this one pursuit that might be too hot for them to handle? That I will let you see for yourself…..
Now right off, it should be said that the work done on this slice of cinema from the various departments behind the camera is capable yet also by no means even close to the level of the work done on its predecessor from 1987. To be sure, the work done at the helm by Stephen Hopkins (the 5th Elm Street film, 1993’s Judgement Night, 1996’s underrated The Ghost and the Darkness among others) isn’t bad at picking up the baton from John McTiernan who helmed that first installment. I guess the main problem that some people will have with Hopkins’ work here is that whereas McTiernan really did tap more so into the suspense of everything going on in the previous film whilst also giving us heavy action beats here and there including the initial raid on the guerilla encampment and the final showdown between Arnold and the titular creature, Hopkins chooses to go a different route and amps up the action on display immensely that we are given including beats on a subway train during rush hour and in a meat-packing plant that are sure to leave you on the edge of your seat. Yet rather than really be the detriment that a lot of people might think it to be, I actually feel that this element helps this slice of cinema really distinguish itself to say nothing of work fairly well. This is because not only does it ensure that the film by no means comes across as a one-note retread of its predecessor, but it also really permits this film to really do and be its own thing. On top of that, I definitely appreciate the work done by iconic composer Alan Silvestri on this slice of cinema. Indeed not only does Silvestri provide audiences with a score that I feel is on par with his work from the original, but he even does a terrific job at finding moments throughout the film for that original score to bleed in as well in a very low-key yet effective manner. I also love the work done here by the production design team as headed by one Lawrence Paull. Indeed be it the crime-ridden streets of Los Angeles, a high-rise condo turned slaughterhouse, an underground subway train, a chaos-stricken police station, a chilly to the bone meat-packing plant, or even a location that I won’t reveal here there is no denying that Paull and his team do a marvelous job of bringing these distinct locales and others to life in a way that makes them feel both real and integral to the plot at the same time. With all of that said perhaps the main issue that I have with this slice of cinema can be found in terms of its script. Now don’t get me wrong: I do appreciate the fact that we are given more information about the titular monster than the snippets here and there that were presented to us in the first film. Rather, it’s the fact that not only is the 2nd act of this film a bit hard to sit through at times, but also because a lot of the support cast (despite game efforts from the performers in those respective roles) feel either significantly cheated out of screentime/meaningful characterization or are just there simply to act as fodder for the titular monster to dispatch before the inevitable final showdown. Suffice it to say that when you factor in solid work yet nothing truly all that game changing from the costume design and the cinematography departments here respectively what you have here is a film that, from a behind the camera perspective, works yet also could have been shaped and molded into a lot better than what we ultimately are given here as well.
Of course, perhaps the key area where this slice of sci-fi cinema really works on the level that you can tell it is really wanting to would have to be in regards to the performances given by the undeniably talented cast of individuals assembled in front of the camera. Without a doubt in my mind this starts with Danny Glover in the lead role and he is terrific here. Indeed Glover has always been a vastly underrated talent and here he plays the role of Murtaugh ehh Harrigan (sorry; wrong franchise there) with a mix of bullheadedness, persistence, hard-edged dedication, and definitely someone who believes in the old adage of “getting forgiveness is easier than acquiring permission” that really makes him both a wonderful character to follow throughout this film to say nothing of a brilliant new human foe for the titular creature to square off against here. Operating very much as the yang to Glover’s yin in this is none other than 80s/90s acting icon Gary Busey who is brilliantly cast as the enigmatic and more than slightly sleazy government agent Peter Keyes. Indeed Busey was always an actor who was brilliant when cast as an antagonist for our main character to butt heads with throughout the movie during this time period and here is certainly no different as Busey makes this guy someone who is sleazy, a touch on the slimy side, and so smarmy and arrogant to the hilt that we can’t wait to see him get his comeuppance should he unfortunately cross paths with our alien antagonist. Alongside this pair, we also get a delightful comedic support turn from the late screen icon Bill Paxton as the newest member of Harrigan’s team Jerry Lambert. Indeed Paxton was always a delight whenever he showed up in anything and, between his terrible suit and cheesy jokes, the same definitely holds true here as well. That and, without spoilers, he gets one heck of an exit from the movie. Now while I must admit that I do really appreciate the work done in this film by both Ruben Blades as well as Maria Conchita Alonso as the other two members of Harrigan’s squad, I also found myself being disappointed by just how little they really are given to work with here in terms of characterization. Like I said they don’t do a bad job here, but even so it feels like there was more material with them that was filmed yet wound up on the cutting room floor due to time constraints. Lastly, I would be amiss if I didn’t take some time in this section to praise the work done by Kevin Peter Hall as this film’s titular creature. No it’s not the same creature from the first, but even so Hall does a wonderful at not only playing this particular Predator in such a way that yes you can tell this is the same species of creature we first encountered back in 1987 whilst also making sure to add enough quirks so that his performance feels refreshingly different as well. Suffice it to say that when you also incorporate into the mix efforts from such talents as Adam Baldwin, Robert Davi who is a delight with his 10-15 minutes of screentime as LAPD Deputy Chief Phil Heinemann, Kent McCord who you could argue is secretly reprising his role from the show Adam-12, an enjoyably detestable Morton Downey Jr. as arguably himself, and the iconic Calvin Lockhart as a Jamaican voodoo crime boss that Harrigan tries to get information from among others it’s clear that even though this slice of cinema has issues the cast definitely does try its best to help make up for them.
All in all and at the end of the day is Predator 2 a perfect slice of cinema let alone a film that is on the same level as its iconic predecessor from 1987? As delightful as that would have turned out to be, I am afraid that is not the case. On the other hand, is this the worst installment in the Predator franchise since either of the Alien vs. Predator films from 2004 and 2007 respectively? Thankfully, I can say that is not the case either. To be sure, there are some issues that this slice of cinema is saddled with including a 2nd act that feels a bit on the jumbled and rushed side, the fact that a lot of the secondary characters aren’t written as well as they should have been, and just an overall vibe that this slice of cinema cannot, try as hard as it might, escape the shadow of its predecessor though in all fairness that is a fairly tall order to accomplish. On the other hand, the work done behind the camera is (for all those aforementioned faults) still fairly capable, there is a wonderful amount of violence on display which should please both fans of the franchise and sci-fi action aficionados in equal measure, and the performances given by the cast (with particular regard to the work done here by Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Bill Paxton, and the returning Kevin Peter Hall) are still relatively engaging all things considered. Suffice it to say that if you go into this wanting a genuinely great slice of sci-fi cinema that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat from start to finish then definitely go check out the original Predator. On the other hand, if you want a slice of cinema that is a genuinely fun, loud, and action-filled underrated ride from start to finish whilst also adding a fair bit to the mythos surrounding its titular big game hunter from outer space then if you can please definitely hunt it down and give this slice of cinema a chance. To be sure, it’s not perfect, but it does manage to be quite entertaining and truth be told sometimes that’s really a slice of cinema needs to be in order to work its magic on you. Make of that what thou will dear reader and happy hunting! On a scale of 1-5 I give Predator 2 a solid 3.5 out of 5.
